Research progress, existing problem and development trend of tight rock oil

Tight rock oil is a more realistic exploration domain of oil fields to succeed. The difficulties in tight rock oil research include the impact of tight process and different porosity classes on petroleum migration, whether petroleum has been transported or not, and whether all the reservoirs are continuous. In recent years, the main geologic features of domestic tight rock oil has been concluded, a preliminary discussion of the generation, distribution and accumulation of tight rock oil has been carried out, and an observation and measurement technique of nano-class pores has been established gradually. By contrast, the overseas researchers suggest that the fluid flow in tight rocks is controlled by the distribution of dominant pore-throat size. The networks of mesopores are observed to connect with large macropores within organic matter, which would obviously increase permeability in tight rocks. The obvious lateral migration of tight rock oil may take place during enrichment process. The model of continuous hydrocarbon accumulation could not evaluate accurately the resource potential in both the Williston Basin and the Greater Green River Basin. In near future, three crucial scientific problems should be focused on: rock tightening process and the relative distribution of miro- and nano- pore and throat structure, the occurrence state and migration and accumulation mechanisms of tight rock oil, as well as the evaluating indictors of resource potential of Chinese tight rock oil.